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RULE 20A/20B/20C UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICTS

The Rule 20A and Rule 20B (In-Lieu Fee) Underground Utility Programs are currently administered by the Utilities Section.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates privately owned telecommunications, electric, natural gas, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies.

UNDERGROUNDING PROJECT SELECTION CRITERIA

CPUC selection criteria for projects:

- Heavy concentration of overhead lines
- Heavy vehicular or pedestrian traffic volumes
- Street passes through scenic/civic/recreation area
- One block or 600 feet of undergrounding required

City of San Jose selection criteria for projects:

- Parks or Redevelopment area
- Complement City capitol improvements
- Gateway streets and the core downtown area
- Coordinated with Light Rail Transit Projects

RULE 20A PROGRAM - Under Rule 20A, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) allocates funds (on a calendar year basis) to replace existing overhead electrical facilities with underground electrical facilities within the communities it serves. Similar rules, tariffs and legislation require Pacific Bell to budget funds for the conversion of their own facilities within the districts legislated for Rule 20A funding.

RULE 20B (IN-LIEU FEE) PROGRAM - The In-Lieu Utility Undergrounding Fee Program was established to meet the need to implement an equitable and expedient process of requiring undergrounding of existing overhead utilities associated with new construction by private developers.

The City ordinance requires that developers pay a fee of $222 per frontage foot in-lieu of requiring the developers to perform the overhead-to-underground conversion along the street frontage where their development is occurring. Only projects that develop adjacent to designated streets as defined in the Municipal Code are subject to the undergrounding in-lieu fee conditions.

Fees are collected in areas with future undergrounding potential. In-Lieu fees are programmed to be expended in these areas.

Undergrounding is accomplished through the City's establishment of large aggregated projects rather than requiring developers to perform the undergrounding on a piecemeal basis. This results in more efficient use of engineering staff and construction crews resulting in lower unit costs for design and construction. The design and undergrounding work has been performed by the City and also, PG&E and Pac Bell by means of an agreement with the City.

RULE 20C PROGRAM - Neighborhood groups, business associations or others can fund undergrounding by working with the utility companies directly.

Before and After Photos

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Califonia Public Utilities Commision

Pacific Gas & Electric Company

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